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Diabetes status and post-load plasma glucose concentration in relation to site-specific cancer mortality: findings from the original Whitehall study

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Abstract

ObjectiveWhile several studies have reported on the relation of diabetes status with pancreatic cancer risk, the predictive value of this disorder for other malignancies is unclear. Methods: The Whitehall study, a 25year follow-up for mortality experience of 18,006 men with data on post-challenge blood glucose and self-reported diabetes, allowed us to address these issues. Results: There were 2158 cancer deaths at follow-up. Of the 15 cancer outcomes, diabetes status was positively associated with mortality from carcinoma of the pancreas and liver, while the relationship with lung cancer was inverse, after controlling for a range of potential covariates and mediators which included obesity and socioeconomic position. After excluding deaths occurring in the first 10years of follow-up to examine the effect of reverse causality, the magnitude of the relationships for carcinoma of the pancreas and lung was little altered, while for liver cancer it was markedly attenuated. Conclusions: In the present study, diabetes status was related to pancreatic, liver, and lung cancer risk. Cohorts with serially collected data on blood glucose and covariates are required to further examine this area.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MRC Social & Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, 4 Lilybank Gardens, GLASGOW, G12 8RZ, UK

    G. David. Batty

  2. Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London, WC1E 6BT

    Martin J. Shipley & Michael Marmot

  3. Division of Epidemiology, Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, Whiteladies Road, Bristol, BS8 2PR

    George Davey Smith

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  1. G. David. Batty
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Correspondence to G. David. Batty.

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Batty, G.D., Shipley, M.J., Marmot, M. et al. Diabetes status and post-load plasma glucose concentration in relation to site-specific cancer mortality: findings from the original Whitehall study. Cancer Causes Control 15, 873–881 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-004-1050-z

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